Old school, hard-a** coach Doug Collins had lifted the 76ers up last season and this season had them on top of the Atlantic Division and playing great defense with a fast 20-9 start. Then that defense slipped, the offense tanked, there was a losing streak heading into the All-Star break and Philly has stumbled since.

With all that the top spot and the Atlantic as well as the four seed have gone out the window — right now the Sixers are tied for the eight spot and are just a game up on the Bucks from being out of the playoffs altogether.

Collin’s nature in this situation is to be even more old school, hard-a** — but he says he can’t. That his players are too fragile. Here is the quote from Gethin Coolbaugh of SBN.

“The one thing about players today is that they’re very sensitive, and very fragile,” Collins said before his team’s game against the Boston Celtics on Easter Sunday. “They didn’t grow up with tough coaches. You know, I had my ass kicked since I was six. It’s a different time, and so I treat this team very much with kid gloves. I really do, and I’m still looked at as an ogre…

“It’s terrible, I mean, it’s hard. It really is hard,” he said. “I honestly find myself during the games looking at the coach [and asking], ‘Was I alright with those guys during that timeout? Did I hurt anybody’s feelings? Was I OK?’… ‘Coach, you’re fine, you’re fine’… I said ‘OK, OK, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t hurt anybody’s feelings.’ That’s the sensitivity, and the younger the guys, it seems like the more sensitive. And that’s what you’re wrestling with.”

He realizes he was brought in to guide and grow a young team, right?

A soft early-season schedule and fantastic play from Spencer Hawes fueled that early season Sixers run. But Hawes missed 15 games with an Achilles injury and has not been the same since, while the schedule has gotten tougher. The good news that is this week the Sixers have two games against the Nets and one against the Raptors. It’s a chance to get healthy get some wins.

They were winning because they had the perfect style for the start of this season. They played good d and moved the ball well on offense to get good shots. A promising young team with great athleticism and hybrid guys like iggy, turner, and young. But they aren’t able to stretch the floor that well because they lack shooters. When it comes to the nitty gritty and defenses compress against them they’re going to have a much tougher time winning.

Basically they weren’t as good as they were when they were winning, but they aren’t as bad as they are playing now.

Regardless the east is so top heavy as it is. I think I speak for all basketball fans when I say it would be a shocker if either the bulls or the heat didn’t win the division.

They were winning because they had the perfect style for the start of this season. They played good d and moved the ball well on offense to get good shots. A promising young team with great athleticism and hybrid guys like iggy, turner, and young. But they aren’t able to stretch the floor that well because they lack shooters. When it comes to the nitty gritty and defenses compress against them they’re going to have a much tougher time winning.

Basically they weren’t as good as they were when they were winning, but they aren’t as bad as they are playing now.

Regardless the east is so top heavy as it is. I think I speak for all basketball fans when I say it would be a shocker if either the bulls or the heat don’t win the confrence.

Collins is right. Today’s players are baby’s! Every star has more authority over his coach if he chooses to exercise it and the cant even handle a coach raising their voice or challenging a player. I miss you Jerry Sloan.

This is meant for my friends who don’t have time to look at stories like these. They only get their news thru ESPN. WHy do you care anyway? I work full time and am a single parent who post things so others can enjoy them.

so you link your own blog on this site so your friends who don’t have time to read this article can find it? Got it, thanks.

1) Do you own work.
2) Don’t copy w/o permission and then come back here and admit it to the world.
3) Promote your garbage or your own dime, and don’t put links to it on reputable sites.
4) I have no clue how you haven’t been banned yet.

***reposted this on probasketballtalk blog becuase I put it in the wrong place last time. Yes, I did this with the original poster’s express written consent, mostly because I am he.

so you link your own blog on this site so your friends who don’t have time to read this article can find it? Got it, thanks.

1) Do you own work.
2) Don’t copy w/o permission and then come back here and admit it to the world.
3) Promote your garbage or your own dime, and don’t put links to it on reputable sites.
4) I have no clue how you haven’t been banned yet.

it just gets annoying seeing “reblogged on jumbossportsblog” on every damn story on here. btw, if you’re friends don’t have time to read stories on NBC sports talk, then how do they have time to read the SAME EXACT STORY on jumbos plagiarized sports blog?

The problem is the Sixers don’t trust each other and they shouldn’t. Iggy stinks and I can’t stand the site of this scrub. He holds the ball too long and can’t finish when it matters. He shoots from too far out. I’m just tired of the guy. I can’t stand him. First half of the season I thought he changed but he didn’t.

The Sixers should have made a move if they really wanted to compete. L.Williams can opt out of his deal at the end of the season and I would be shocked if he didn’t try and get more money. Hawes is hurt to much to bring back. Meeks is a shooter off the bench and nothing more. If I was the Sixers I would move Iggy in the off season because sometimes its addition by subtracting. I don’t care what you get just no long term bad deals. Let Williams opt out and sign somewhere else for too much money. Let Hawes go because you can’t over pay for a guy who is always hurt. Keep Holiday, Turner, Young, and Brand(unless someone who is a stud becomes available in FA then amnesty Brand). Let Holiday and Turner learn how to play together in the back court, move Young to the 3. If Brand doesn’t get amnestied then he can play the 4. You won’t win now with that but guys will learn how to play without Iggy stunting their growth.

The Sixers need a super star big time. Someone who can stop the bleeding. Someone who can score clutch buckets, Someone who draws double coverage. They also need a big man down low. Should have drafted Cousins over Turner. Oh and if Collins leaves then get rid of everyone because then you know they are all a bunch of bitches.

have you noticed no one uses it but you?
have you noticed you’re the only one who passes your own “blog” off as legitimate in doing so?

Moreover, have you noticed you just said you’re reblogging is driving traffic to this mainstream (freaking NBC) site? If you really believe THAT, then you should quit REblogging and either do standup or get over yourself.

The reason why the 76ers were so good at the beginning of the season was b/c they were playing what was by far the softest schedule in the league.
I called it back then – the 76ers were going to fold to the bottom of the playoff race or out of it completely.
They have a lot of great young pieces, but you need stars to win in the NBA, and they don’t have any. They will never be more than a 6 – 8th seed in the East.

They’re as good as the Hawks at best, and more like the Bucks or Knicks in reality.